Foreground Middleground Background (032)

Foreground Middleground Background questions the typical figure-ground binary by differentiating building from ground, but also ground into front-yard and back-yard.

Having two ‘others’, each image presents as an entirely different place. The image of the front-yards leaves one asking whether the buildings are block-sized monoliths. The removal of the backyards and buildings also adds ambiguity, concealing two types of dwellings: detached houses and multi-family apartments. When the buildings are seen in isolation, one part of a typical figure-ground, the difference is evident. Back-yards, less formal than the front, reveal a defining characteristic of the scene: a bisecting subway rail cut.

Unexpectedly, hover doesn’t correspond to the location of the three figures, but rather moves between them with a simple left-right movement.

Technicals

The outlines for each layer were traced in Rhino—a CAD program. They were then imported into Photoshop as smart objects to create a mask for each layer, which were saved as separate image files. The mouse’s position on screen changes between the layers, where each third of the browser viewport reveals a different layer.

Next Steps

• Consider geolocating the map and adding transparent features for each layer, so the conceal-and-reveal interaction corresponds to what is located at the mouse’s position.
• Consider adding a fourth figure, dividing the street from the sidewalk and front yards.